1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an endoscope apparatus that performs image processing on image pickup means mounted on an endoscope.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, electronic endoscopes equipped with image pickup means have been widely used in various endoscope inspections or the like.
When an endoscope inspection is performed, such endoscope apparatuses are available as a simultaneous endoscope apparatus that picks up a color image using an electronic endoscope equipped with an image pickup device provided with a color filter under illumination of white light and a frame sequential endoscope apparatus that picks up an image under frame sequential illuminating light of R, G and B using an electronic endoscope equipped with a monochrome image pickup device, and these endoscope apparatuses have different signal processing systems (image processing systems).
As a first conventional example of the endoscope apparatus using an electronic endoscope equipped with an image pickup device provided with a color filter, Japanese Patent Publication No. 4009626 discloses an endoscope apparatus equipped with an emphasis circuit that emphasizes contours or a structure for only luminance signals.
On the other hand, as a second conventional example of the endoscope apparatus using an electronic endoscope equipped with an image pickup device provided with a color filter, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2006-61621 discloses an endoscope apparatus that performs emphasis processing on luminance signals and color difference signals.